• Happy holidays, folks! Thanks to each and every one of you for being part of the Tom's Hardware community!

[SOLVED] Will I get a faster internet connection speed if I swap my factory wifi adapter antennas for larger ones?

SeriousGaming101

Distinguished
Mar 17, 2016
330
0
18,780
I currently have this wifi adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/Alfa-Long-Range-Dual-Band-Wireless-External/dp/B00MX57AO4

I only get around 100MBps for my 300MBps internet. If I swap out the factory antennas and add new bigger antennas like this one:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6706X97521&Description=15dbi&cm_re=15dbi-_-9SIA6706X97521-_-Product

Then, will my internet download/upload speed increase a lot? Bigger = Faster? Also, are there larger wifi-adapter antenna sizes than 15dBi?
 
Solution
If you get any at all it will not be a huge increase. Wifi numbers are only a tiny fraction of the magic marketing numbers they put on the box. You need to set you expectations correctly without they marketing hype.

Look at this site and see how small the numbers they test at. Remember the top units are using 4x4 mimo which means 4 feeds/antenna on both ends. You only have 2 so that will limit the top speed. The top routers in the chart are claiming 5300 speeds and get well under 300 so you can see how silly those numbers are in real life.
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/router/bar/119-5-ghz-profile-dn/35


I don't want to use ethernet cable, and yes, I have 300MBps internet but my wifi connected to my PC in my other room from router only picks up 100MBps.
 
If you get any at all it will not be a huge increase. Wifi numbers are only a tiny fraction of the magic marketing numbers they put on the box. You need to set you expectations correctly without they marketing hype.

Look at this site and see how small the numbers they test at. Remember the top units are using 4x4 mimo which means 4 feeds/antenna on both ends. You only have 2 so that will limit the top speed. The top routers in the chart are claiming 5300 speeds and get well under 300 so you can see how silly those numbers are in real life.
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/router/bar/119-5-ghz-profile-dn/35
 
Solution